Scissor House

The Tabom people on arrival from Brazil brought many skills and trades. Other than their brilliant architecture they were known as brilliant seamstresses and in 1854 George Aruna Nelson established the first tailor shop in Ghana – Scissor House. George Aruna Nelson was chosen by Kwame Nkrumah as master tailor to the walkers brigade of the Ghanaian army.

This building became a school where one could learn tailoring and was at one point headed by George Aruna Nelson – who would later become Nii Aruna I the third Chief of the Tabom. The building has also been used as a nursery and a place of residence for the Tabom people.

Scissor House has also been used during the instoolment of the current Tabom chief Nii Azumah. It was also the building where he was trained as a chief as were some of his predecessors.

Scissor House is a great Testament to the history of the Tabom presence in Accra. Tailoring work continued in the building from more than 150 years until 2007 when the building collapsed during fires.